Relevance of anxiety in the perinatal period: prospective study in a Hungarian sample. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • There is increasing evidence that anxiety occurs frequently during pregnancy and can be one of the most important risk factors and predictors of postpartum depression (PPD). The aim of our study was to investigate whether antenatal anxiety is an independent predictor of PPD. We used the data of 476 women enrolled in a prospective study in a single maternity unit. The first assessment was conducted between 22 and 40 weeks gestation and a second time 8-12 months postpartum. Symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Based on our results, antenatal anxiety measured by a subscale of EPDS has predicted better PPD than the antenatal depressive subscale. However, the most relevant predictor of PPD might be the trait anxiety level of a women measured by STAI Trait Scale, whereas a cutoff value of 38 was identified to indicate higher risk of PPD.

publication date

  • June 20, 2017

Research

keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Depression, Postpartum
  • Pregnancy Complications

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85021057998

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1080/0167482X.2017.1338264

PubMed ID

  • 28631998

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 39

issue

  • 3